St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-04-23
PAPER MACHE.

Of It's Numerous Uses.
The manufacture Of papier mach
Qiterally. .'chewed paper''D forms al
important branch Of the paper indus
try. Who does not remember thos,
projectiles Of our school days which ",
called "spit-balls." and which whe,
thrown 1T wall or ceiling adheret
thereto with tenacity? What was mos
striking about these balls was thei
extraordinary hardness after they be
come thoroughly dry, this being tn,
more marked in proportion as the chew
ing had been more perfect.
1t was through observing such hard
ness that the idea occurred to some on,
to employ paper pulp in the manufact
ure Of various objects. Yet the sub
stance employed in the industry is moi
mashed paper in the absolute sense
of the word, but is paper converted
into a soft cardboard by mechanica
processes.
In the manufacture Of papier mache,
the raw material used is blui.h-gray,
unsized. strong, fine-grained paper.
The sheets may be compared (white-
ness, which is Of no account, being ex.
cepted) to Annonay lithographic paper.
Cotton forms the basis of it.
These sheets are pasted together by
means Of . layer of dextrine or starch.
applied with steel spatula. When
the desired thickness has been obtained.
the mass is put into . hydraulic press
that operates in highly heated drying
room. Under the immense pressure Of
this apparatus there forms solid block,
which is rs har,l IS boxwood or ebony,
and which is perfectly plane or has the
form of the mold in which the raw mate
rial. SO ductile when moist and 50 hard
when dry, was compressed. It can be
nodded into any shape whatever, that
Of table legs. chair arms. rose-work.
holdings, etc.
This sort Of wood. without pores. sap.
fibers and knots, is capable Of being
worked with the saw. the gouge, the
rasp and the lathe. It can be polished,
if need be. although this operation is
reserved for the thick black varnish
that is applied to it in several coats
with an intervening stay Of . night in .
very hot. air-heated drying room. When
it comes from the latter the varnish is
very hard. and is free from blisters and
cracks. 1t is possible that many Of the
objects that are offered to us as being
finished with Japan or Chinese lacquer
are merely impregnated and covered
with mixture Of gum copal. bitumen.
tar. resin and other hydrocarbons inn
presnated with lamp-black and color
in certain proportions.
The baking is the important point.
When this operation has been too greatly
prolonged. the varnish scales of and
cracks: and when it has not been car.
ried IN sufficient extent. the surface
remains sticky. It is not necessary.
then, t. exceed certain temperature,
always higher than one hundred de-
grees.
This s,olded and pressed paper can
be easily turned in the lathe. and made
into light and indestructible balls and
beads. or be fashioned into ink-stands,
caskets ard cylinders.
1t is from this substance that are man.
ufactured all those bracelets Of large
black hea'ls studded with Scotch imita-
ton diamonds, all those necklaces, pins,
clasps and trinkets Of all sorts that are
taken for pitch coal or some precious
wood. Again, those handsome brace
lets composed Of semi-lucid and opaline
globules that seem to have been cut ont
Of . stone formed Of concentric layers.
like certain precious stones. are merely
II papier mache, cemented with white
varnish and coated with the same. So,
too. those beautiful nacreous. painted
md gilded trays. round tables. and
.askets that are known as japanese
work are merely papier msche. The
Japanese know but one kind of gliding,
while we have two-the dead and the
brilliant. We have, likewise. a liquid
lacre taken from the scales Of the white
,ait that well initiates the white currant
md certain transparent berries. The
lacre is solidly inlaid BY means Of the
hydraulic press. and finally the surface
8 finished with pumice stone in order to |
make it perfectly even. and covered with
colorless varnish Of the first quality
3mlletin des Fobvicassts de Papier.
4 Cruel Punishment.
Some years ago . quondam brigand /